Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration September 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for 15 individuals from the requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) that interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers have "no established medical history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition which is likely to cause loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to control a CMV." The exemptions enable these individuals who have had one or more seizures and are taking anti-seizure medication to continue to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces its decision to grant a five-year exemption to the Oregon Department of Transportation (Oregon) from the commercial driver's license (CDL) rules concerning acceptable proof of citizenship or lawful permanent residency for citizens of Freely Associated States (FAS) who reside in Oregon and wish to obtain a CDL or commercial learner's permit (CLP). The FAS are the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allows States to issue full- term REAL ID licenses and ID cards to citizens of the FAS. The exemption allows Oregon to accept from citizens of the FAS a valid, unexpired passport issued by a FAS and an Arrival/Departure Record, meaning an I-94 or I-94A form, as proof of lawful entry into the United States, and issue standard CLPs and CDLs, rather than non-domiciled CLPs and CDLs, to these individuals. FMCSA concludes that granting the exemption, subject to the terms and conditions set forth below, is likely to achieve a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level of safety that would be obtained absent the exemption.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces its decision to grant an application from Encore Flooring & Building Products (Encore, USDOT #2329419) for an exemption to allow it to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) equipped with a module manufactured by Intellistop, Inc. (Intellistop). The Intellistop module is designed to pulse the required rear clearance, identification, and brake lamps from a lower-level lighting intensity to a higher-level lighting intensity 4 times in 2 seconds when the brakes are applied and then return the lights to a steady-burning state while the brakes remain engaged. The Agency has determined that granting the exemption to Encore would likely achieve a level of safety equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety achieved by the regulation.

FMCSA announces a hybrid (in-person and virtual) public meeting to engage stakeholders, which includes motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, insurance companies, financial institutions, process agents, blanket companies, and transportation service providers; to get their perspective on improving the registration experience with FMCSA. This is the third iteration of the FMCSA Registration Modernization Stakeholder Day. The first meeting was held in person at FMCSA on January 17, 2024, and the second meeting was held virtually on May 29, 2024.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its review and approval and invites public comment. The FMCSA requests approval to renew an ICR titled, "Medical Qualification Requirements," due to updated information for several of the Information Collections (ICs) discussed. This ICR is needed to ensure that drivers, motor carriers and the States are complying with the physical qualification requirements of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The information collected is used to determine and certify driver medical fitness and must be collected in order for our highways to be safe.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 12 individuals for an exemption from the prohibition in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) against persons with a clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition that is likely to cause a loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to control a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) to drive in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals who have had one or more seizures and are taking anti-seizure medication to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 10 individuals from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. The exemptions enable these hard of hearing and deaf individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 11 individuals from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. The exemptions enable these hard of hearing and deaf individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its review and approval and invites public comment. FMCSA requests approval to renew the ICR titled "Road Test Requirement." This ICR estimates the information burden incurred by motor carriers associated with the road test requirements in two circumstances. The first is when the motor carrier hires a new driver. The second is when the road test is required for individuals physically qualified under the Agency's alternative vision standard for the first time. In each circumstance, motor carriers are required to rate the performance of the driver during the test on a road test form provided by the motor carrier. If the road test is successfully completed, the motor carrier completes a certificate of driver's road test and provides a copy to the driver. The motor carrier retains the original signed road test form and the original, or a copy, of the signed certificate in the driver qualification file.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) extends the comment period for its August 13, 2024, notice of review of guidance requesting public comment identifying and providing input on existing guidance documents that are good candidates for revision or rescission. FMCSA extends the comment period for 14 days until September 26, 2024.

FMCSA announces its decision to grant an exemption to the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) to allow commercial driver's license (CDL) holders with a passenger (P) endorsement to operate a school bus without holding a school bus (S) endorsement, provided an adult chaperone is present on the bus who is responsible for ensuring the safe loading and unloading of children. This exemption applies to drivers operating traditional school buses, i.e., buses designed to be school buses, and to motorcoaches and vans not designed to be school buses. Drivers operating a traditional school bus must have an S endorsement commercial learner's permit (CLP) and obtain their full S endorsement within 90 days of the date they obtained the S endorsement CLP. Drivers operating motorcoaches or vans not designed to be a school bus must operate between designated central locations, such as parks or parking lots, and school or school-sponsored events.